The value of Individual Liberty affirms each person’s right to self-determination, but the values of Democracy, Respect and Tolerance call us to live as part of a community. This assembly encourages pupils to consider the notion that each person is special because we have the capacity to love and be loved.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Humanity’s best bits (something to talk about)

Imagine that an alien came to Earth to find out what humans are like. What might we tell them? What makes humans special? What are the things that all people think/feel/do? What are our best traits?

Who might you send as an ambassador, to show the aliens what humans are like – a celebrity, a scientist, a ruler, etc? How would you tell them to behave in front of the aliens, in order to show that human beings are a good race to know?

What would you do? (something to act out)

Invite a pupil to act out a scenario, using costume props but no words. The rest of the group must, first, guess the scenario. Then, pupils suggest how they would respond to it. Together, decide which option is best, and ask why they think that is the best thing to do.

Scenario suggestions:

The baby is hungry.

The footballer has lost the game.

The spaceman lost his space helmet.

The chef is trying to make dinner.

The little sister took your toy.

The fairy is lost.

The police officer is looking for someone.

The queen needs a place to sit.

The ballerina is sad.

The explorer is homesick.

The singer has lost their voice.

Adapt the characters to fit with the costume props that are available. You could ask older children to act without the use of props.

If you’re short on time, then you can end the clip at 00:54:48, when Ralph says, ‘Okay, good. Let’s try that again,’ after Vanellope successfully finds first gear in spite of his training.

If you cannot play the film clip, then read this description of it instead:

Vanellope is sure that she was born to race. Thanks to her new friend, Ralph, she has a racing car. Now they just have to work out how to drive it! Ralph does his best to guess at what the pedals do. He then takes a lot of knocks as Vanellope works out how to start, stop and reverse. But, once Vanellope gets the hang of it, she is a natural!

Have you ever eaten a stick of rock? [If anyone has, ask them if it had any writing on it, and if so, what did it say.]

[PowerPoint slide 2]

Some sticks of rock are made with a word on them – usually the name of the town where they were made. These words aren’t just written on the end though. They run all the way through the stick. You can snap it in two, and you will still find the name written there.

[PowerPoint slide 3]

In today’s assembly, we’re going to be thinking about human nature, which simply means the things that makes humans special. What makes us different from animals or objects?

We humans can be good – we are clever and kind and funny. We can also be bad – we are sometimes greedy, selfish and mean. We humans are keen to survive – we all want food, water and shelter. We humans can think and we can feel. We are brilliant explorers. We are amazing inventors. We are great communicators.

[PowerPoint slide 4]

But what is the one word that could sum up the human race? What is at the core of every person, no matter how good or bad they have been, no matter how long they live, no matter what they think or how they feel, no matter how much they know or how well they speak?

To help us think a bit more about our nature, we’re going to watch a film clip from Wreck-it Ralph. Everyone thinks that Ralph and Vanellope are bad guys. They both live alone in rubbish dumps. Winning a race could change everything for them. The only problem is: neither of them knows how to drive…

If you’re short on time, then you can end the clip at 00:54:48, when Ralph says, ‘Okay, good. Let’s try that again,’ after Vanellope successfully finds first gear in spite of his training.

If you cannot play the film clip, then read this description of it instead:

Vanellope is sure that she was born to race. Thanks to her new friend, Ralph, she has a racing car. Now they just have to work out how to drive it! Ralph does his best to guess at what the pedals do. He then takes a lot of knocks as Vanellope works out how to start, stop and reverse. But, once Vanellope gets the hang of it, she is a natural!

[PowerPoint slide 5]

If Vanellope had to describe herself in one word, what do you think she would say? [Take suggestions – racer.] She believes she was made to race.

[PowerPoint slide 6]

At the beginning of the film, it looked like Ralph’s word was ‘bad’. But, at the end of the film, he says: ‘Turns out I don’t need a medal to tell me I’m a good guy. Because if that little kid likes me… How bad can I be?’

This friendship brings love into Ralph’s life, and this love affects the way he thinks and feels about himself and others, and it changes the way he lives.

[PowerPoint slide 7]

His core word is ‘love’.

Perhaps this is the word we’ve been looking for. All people love. All people want to be loved.

[PowerPoint slide 8]

According to the Bible, we’re made to love and to be loved by God. It’s in our ‘code’! The Bible says that we were made to enjoy God’s love, and to share it with each other.

Thankfully we have a better teacher than Vanellope did! Jesus knows how to love. He has shown us God’s love, and he can also show us how to love other people the way God loves us. When Jesus was asked what God most wanted human beings to do, Jesus answered:

Read Matthew 22:37-40 [PowerPoint slide 9]:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments.

Human beings are special for many different reasons. But, Christians believe that all of our other qualities come out of God’s love. They believe that if we accept God’s love, then he will change our lives, helping us to love him, to love other people and to love ourselves.

Headings and Bullets

Introduction [PowerPoint slide 1-3]

Welcome.

Stick of rock illustration.

Definition of human nature.

Human nature

We humans can be good and bad.

We humans are keen to survive.

We humans can think and we can feel.

We are brilliant explorers; we are amazing inventors; we are great communicators.

[PowerPoint slide 4]

But what is the one word that could sum up the human race?

What is at the core of every person, no matter how we behave, think, feel, look or sound?

But, by the end of the film, his love for Vanellope changes the way he lives.

His core word is ‘love’.

Our word [PowerPoint slide 8]

Perhaps this is the word we’ve been looking for. All people love and want to be loved.

According to the Bible, love is in our ‘code’.

The Bible says that we were made to enjoy God’s love, and to share it with each other.

Thankfully we have a better teacher than Vanellope did!

Jesus knows how to love, God’s way.

Introduce the Bible passage:

Read Matthew 22:37-40 [PowerPoint slide 9]

Love:

Human beings are special for many different reasons.

But, Christians believe that all of our other qualities come out of God’s love.

They believe that if we accept God’s love, then he will help us to love him, other people and ourselves.

RESPOND

Reflection

We are all special because we love. We are all special because we are loved. How does that make you feel? [Take suggestions.]

Think about your relationships – your family, your relatives, your friends. We know that it would be terrible to be alone – without anyone to love. But, sometimes, it is easy to take for granted the people we love.

Think about how the people you love have changed your life. Perhaps they have helped you when you were confused. Perhaps they have comforted you when you were upset. Perhaps they have shown you how to do the right thing, or forgiven you when you did the wrong thing.

Thanks to them we are loved. Remember to show them your love as well.

Prayer

I’m going to say a prayer now, thanking God for his gift of love. You are welcome to join in if you’d like to, by saying ‘Amen’ at the end, which means that you agree with what I’ve said and that you want to say the same thing to God too.

Thank you, God, that I am loved – by you and by my family and friends. Please help me to know how much you love me, and to love you back. Please help me to love others better. Thank you for Jesus, who can teach me how to love. Amen.